Ruben Baloyan: Defense tries to ruin court sitting

The Kotayk regional court of general jurisdiction today adjourned the first court hearing of the road accident case involving comedian Vardan Petrosian, due to the absence of V. Petrosian’s lawyer, Nikolai Baghdasarian.

Nikolai Baghdasarian earlier told Aysor.am that he filed a petition to the court for adjournment of the first court sitting so that V. Petrosian’s new lawyers who will arrive in Armenia on March 25 could familiarize themselves with the case materials. The lawyer also said he had another court sitting on the same day.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved party’s lawyer, member of Armenia’s Chamber of Advocates Ruben Baloyan said that the defense is trying to ruin the court sitting.

“Another four persons are participating in the case as Vardan Petrosian’s lawyers. Two should arrive from France. The judge announced their names, but Vardan Petrosian refused to use their services. It is hard to understand why they did not appear in court and give an explanation,” the lawyer noted.

One of the lawyers present at the court sitting – Romen Aharonian told the correspondent of Aysor.am that he took part in certain actions at some stages of the preliminary investigation.

“I could have participated in the court sitting, but it is not my duty. The lawyer in this case is Nikolai Baghdasarian,” he said.
We would remind you that Vardan Petrosian was charged with exceeding the speed limit while driving his BMW-320 on the road from Saralanj village in Kotayk province to Yerevan. He was also charged with driving while using a mobile phone.

So he committed actions contradicting clauses 65 and 66 of the road regulations and Article 23 and 24 of the RA Law on Traffic Safety, as a result of which he left the road and crashed into a VAZ-21214 parked on the roadside.

Two passengers of VAZ-21214 – Edward and Edgar Hakobian died. Several other passengers were injured: grave damage was done to health of Tatevik Hakobian and medium gravity damage was done to health of passengers Hayk Hakobian and Emma Jakonian and the driver Arthur Hakobian.

Vardan Petrosian was charged under Article 242 part 2 of the Criminal Code – violation of traffic regulations and motor vehicle operation rules.